


Other Side of the Map

by ladyoakenshields



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, FemBagginshield17, Genderswap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2018-12-02 04:56:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11502219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyoakenshields/pseuds/ladyoakenshields
Summary: University student, Bilbo Baggins, is on a trip the summer after her junior year with some friends when, during a castle tour, she stumbles into a completely different universe by accident. It looks like the same castle, but everything is wrong. Bilbo must figure out how to return home all while trying to convince the Erebor royals that she means no harm to them and their kingdom.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ANOTHER WIP. Here we go, finally posting the project I had started for NaNoWriMo 2014 for Fem!Bagginshield week 2017. It's only been three years...ha...hahah.a... This idea was kind of spurred from a dream I had a million years ago and realized it was a great premise for a Fem!Bagginshield fic. I never finished it completely and had a loose ending planned, so bear with me as we go along. Most of the cast of characters have been genderswapped/identify as women, though there are still some characters who remain the gender they are in canon. (It was all kinda arbitrarily decided as I went along, hah.)

“No, no, I think we need to do the castle last. The village first, then we’ll do lunch, then the castle.”

Bilbo Baggins sat on a train watching her friends and cousin try to determine what their schedule for the day would be.

They had all decided to take a trip together on during their summer break to celebrate another year of university behind them. It took a good deal of convincing parents and saving up money but they’d all planned and paid for the trip themselves and were enjoying their time away immensely. They’d started their trip in London and then went to Paris and then traveled on to Germany. They were currently on a train out to a small village just outside a gorgeous castle that they’d all expressed interest in while perusing their travel guides.

Among their group, there was Bilbo’s best friend, Bell Goodchild, whom she’d known since they were young girls. Bell quietly sat back and played with a curl of her dark golden hair while the other two huddled over their book about travel in Germany.

There was Lobelia Bracegirdle who was the one holding the travel guide. Bilbo had met her in their last year of secondary school when Lobelia began dating her cousin on her father’s side, Lotho, and although they butted heads quite a bit back then, they’d grown into being good friends now. Lobelia had dark hair that was usually done up in elaborate fashions and Bilbo admired the girl’s determination to always do up her hair and makeup no matter what the occasion, even if it was just running out to do errands.

Then there was Bilbo’s cousin on her mother’s side, Primula Brandybuck. Primula had a kind smile and bright blue eyes. Curly dark brown hair had been put into a side braid and her gorgeous voice broke into giggles as Lobelia pointed at something on the page in the tour guide book. Primula took after Bilbo’s mother’s side of the family who was all very beautiful. Bilbo sighed. She took after her father’s side of the family. The Bagginses weren’t necessarily unattractive but they were plainer and certainly didn’t have the beauty that the Tooks had. However, since she’d left secondary school Bilbo found she didn’t care all that much about being physically attractive and had come to be satisfied with her appearance in other ways.

They were on their way out of Hamburg, Germany to the outskirts of the town to the small touristy village outside the beautiful looking castle that they’d seen in Lobelia’s travel guide. Bilbo stared out the window as the low drone of voices on the train wafted in and out of her ears. Gorgeous scenery flew by and soon there were more and more quaint buildings passing the window.

“Hello, Bilbo?” Bell giggled waving her hand in front of her friend’s face. Bilbo looked up and blinked at the three who all looked like they were addressing her.

“We’re almost there.” Primula raised her eyebrows in excitement as she situated her things in her handbag to prepare to get off the train.

“Oh sorry, right,” Bilbo apologized, reaching for her own bag. She nervously raked her hand through her long golden chestnut hair that had been put in a low ponytail for the day.

“We were just deciding what we want to do once we get there,” Bell explained.

“Right, yes, sorry. I don’t know what’s the matter with me today. I actually got decent sleep last night…” she trailed off.

“That’s a miracle. I couldn’t sleep with all the racket going on last night,” Lobelia sighed. Bilbo chuckled and nodded in agreement. Their sleeping arrangements at the hostel weren’t the best but they were cheap. Besides, after a week of this whole traveling thing, Bilbo no longer cared. She could fall asleep anywhere after this because she was so exhausted.

The four of them finished getting their things together as the train pulled to a stop and Bilbo followed Lobelia off the train and out onto the platform. Bilbo pulled out her phone and opened the maps app to guide them to the center of town.

They planned to spend their day shopping in the quaint town, grabbing lunch and then touring the large castle just outside the town center. Bilbo had been quite excited about this day of their vacation. Something about old, large majestic structures struck her absolutely amazed, but she supposed that was a natural reaction for anyone. Just thinking about the history those stone walls had seen was already giving Bilbo gooseflesh.

After their lunch in the village, they headed towards the castle. As they approached Bilbo stared up in awe trying to take in every architectural detail. They purchased their tickets and paid for the audio tour before heading inside. The castle was a little busy with tourists but Bilbo hardly noticed as she looked around.

Being the designated navigator of their trip Bilbo glanced at the map and decided the best part to start at and begin to work their way through. They saw several exhibits and took their time listening to the audio guides. Bilbo was constantly dragged along by Lobelia when she’d get lost listening to the explanations from the cheap flimsy headphones.

“You know I am actually trying to learn something here. And there’s no way you’re all listening to every entry on the tour because then you’d be going the same pace I am,” Bilbo grumbled as Lobelia gently pulled Bilbo along, linking their arms together.

“Bilbo, you can Google all this stuff when we get home,” Lobelia replied quickly. “Do your research on your own time. We’ve got a schedule to stick to.”

“Yes, but we’re here _now_ ,” Bilbo argued. “I want to learn these things _now._ You know. _While we’re here.”_

“We’re going to be here _all day_ if we listen to everything. Besides, we have to get back to the train before the last departure for the day to get back.” Lobelia frowned.

“All right,” Bilbo gave in. “I think I saw they have a café in the gardens. Let’s head that way.”

“Bilbo, we just had lunch,” Primula laughed as she followed after her cousin and Bilbo gave her a knowing smile and Primula rolled her eyes.

“I know but this is for dessert. I overheard a family coming through talking about the delicious cakes they have,” Bilbo explained leading the way. “If you’re not going to let me listen to everything on the audio tour, please don’t deprive me of the cakes as well,” Bilbo begged, melodramatically to Lobelia.

“Oh, so you could hear a family talking about the cake in the café but not my pestering to get a move on?” Lobelia rolled her eyes, playfully nudging Bilbo.

“Selective hearing, dear,” Bilbo replied in a falsely sweet voice.

**x**

After they had their little cakes they bought from the quaint garden café they spent a good hour out in the gardens. Bilbo was amazed by how extensive they were and immediately thought of her father who took great pride in his garden back at home. She snapped a few photos of things she thought he might like to see and smiled when she went to preview them on the small screen.

Soon they returned inside and Bilbo pointed them in the direction of a wing they hadn’t seen yet. They looked for the good part of the next half-hour before the complaining started up again.

“Sorry to be a spoilsport, Bilbo, but I’m getting tired. Will this take much longer?” Bell asked.

“It shouldn’t be that long. I promise I won’t listen to _every_ audio entry,” she rolled her eyes. Though that would end up being a lie because Bilbo couldn’t resist their exhibit on porcelain.

Lobelia and Primula sighed as Bilbo studied each piece carefully and Bell tried to be polite and take interest as well. Bilbo knew it was definitely feigned and could tell she was indeed getting tired.

“Hey Bilbo, are you going to be much longer?” Primula asked with a small sigh. “I’m starting to worry about the time.”

Bilbo glanced down at her phone. They still had an hour and a half before they had to catch the train and she sighed.

“It’s not every day you see things like this.” Bilbo waved them off as she continued reading a small excerpt below an intricately painted plate and tea set. “Besides we’ve got more than enough time.”

“How about if we meet you back out front? We’re gonna go rest,” Bell suggested.

“That’s fine,” Bilbo conceded. “Give me another half an hour, okay?”

“Promise?” Lobelia asked, with an already chastising look on her face. Lobelia always took the role of the ‘group mother.’

“Yes, mum,” Bilbo muttered and Lobelia smiled and rolled her eyes before corralling the other two back the way they came.

Bilbo took her time, feeling infinitely better without the three hovering and making her anxious. She’d come to the end of the exhibit and finished listening to the audio tour as she looked up and admired more of the architectural details. _What an amazing place,_ Bilbo sighed to herself. What she would give to stay just a bit longer and study every inch of the castle. It was all so gorgeous. _What it must have taken to build a place like this,_ Bilbo thought to herself.

As she was looking up she slowly drifted back through the exhibit. She became distracted with admiring the craftsmanship and Bilbo thought for sure she wasn’t directly in danger of running into anyone. However, she ended up stumbling into an old man with a long grey beard she hadn’t seen a moment ago in the corridor who was struggling with a key in a door. The abrupt jarring caused the key in the hole to snap out and the man dropped his key ring, scattering a few of the keys.

“Oh dear!” she squeaked steadying herself. “Excuse me!”

“Dratted thing always getting stuck,” the man muttered, fiddling with the key ring that had bent out of shape, which had caused the keys to drop. She realized many of the keys that had spilled onto the floor were old skeleton keys and Bilbo couldn’t help but take an interest, glancing at the door that seemed like it fit with the old skeleton keys. “Oh!” he seemed to finally take notice of Bilbo.

“I’m so terribly sorry.” Bilbo put a hand to her forehead. “Let me help you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” the old man assured her. “I can manage.”

“Nonsense. It was my fault entirely.” Bilbo protested as she kneeled down and began collecting the keys that had fallen. “This is a pretty extensive collection of keys. They all go to doors here in the palace?”

“Yes, most of them do,” the old man nodded with a thoughtful look.

“There you are.” Bilbo handed over the keys she’d been collecting. “Oh, goodness. Is that the time?” Bilbo peeped as she saw the hands on the large wristwatch the old man wore.

“Where are you hurrying off to if I may ask?” the man questioned, seeing Bilbo’s anxiety.

“I have to get back to the front, my friends are waiting for me to get back,” Bilbo explained, not really sure why she was taking the time to explain this to what seemed to be the old caretaker of the palace. Perhaps she was just trying to put off Lobelia’s haughty scolding when she did finally get back to the front. Bilbo was usually punctual so she could already imagine the scolding she was going to get for making the others wait.

“Well, perhaps if you go through this door you’ll get there quicker,” the man offered. “It’s a shortcut.”

“Truly?” Bilbo asked raising her eyebrows. “Am I allowed? I won’t get into trouble, will I?”

“I am allowing it,” the man smiled with a twinkle in his eye. “It’ll get you back to the front gates much faster than going back through the entire palace, I promise.”

“Oh, thank you so much!” Bilbo cried. Hopefully, if this were quick enough, she’d escape most of Lobelia’s wrath. She mentally made a note to write a spectacular review on TripAdvisor about the kind service she received. The man opened the door with much more ease than when Bilbo stumbled upon him.

“Just down that hall and to the left,” the man instructed as he held the door for her. “Oh, and wait. Take this key with you just in case.”

“For what?” Bilbo gripped the oddly angular key in her hand.

“In case the door on the other side is locked,” the man offered.

“What should I do with this when I return to the entrance?” Bilbo questioned, already dreading having to be responsible for this key.

“Oh, just leave it in the door, I’ll be around to collect it,” the man explained. Before Bilbo could ask if that was truly the best way to get the key back to its rightful owner, the man gestured for her to enter.

Bilbo gave one last nervously friendly smile before stepping through the door and into the corridor. She heard the door close behind her and something twisted unsettlingly in the pit of her stomach. Swallowing hard, she tried to shake whatever odd feeling had settled down upon her she started down the long corridor.

It was fairly well lit so she shouldn’t have been so nervous, but after a moment or two of walking, she was really starting to feel like something wasn’t right. Would the man be there if she went back and confirmed the directions? _Oh confound it_ , she was going to be even later if she did that. Bilbo plucked up her courage and set off down the corridor again. Finally it curved left and Bilbo expected to find a door but instead, she found a winding staircase.

“Didn’t he say a door?” Bilbo muttered to herself. Perhaps the door was at the top of the staircase, but she didn’t think that she’d have to climb stairs to return back to the front entrance. Heaving another sigh she started up the staircase, her confidence growing smaller and smaller until finally, she spotted a door.

Hurrying towards it, she tried the antique door latch first. When it didn’t budge Bilbo felt the door for a keyhole. It was a bit difficult to spot, small and buried in the old, decaying wood, but finally, she found it in the now poorly lit portion of the corridor. It took a little effort but she managed to get the key to move and she heard the door slide unlocked. Bilbo pulled the key out and pushed at the door once again. This time the door gave way and creaked open.

Pushing the door open and stepping forward she nervously and didn’t quite recognize the room she stepped into. Perhaps this was one of the sections that had been off limits to guests? She began to question if she’d taken a wrong turn or opened the wrong door but this door had been her only option and the key that the old caretaker had given her had worked.

Bilbo pocketed the key, intending to take it to the front admissions desk because she felt it was odd and unsafe to just leave the key in the door.

But there was something a little off about the room. Maybe it was just the disconcerting thought that she was somewhere that was probably off limits to normal guests. _Why hadn’t she just taken the usual way back to the front entrance of the castle?_

Then she spotted a young girl in a pretty ruby red dress with long dark curly hair pulled away from her face. She was sprawled out on the lavish rug with three or four dolls sitting in front of her and one already in her small hands. They looked homemade with brightly colored button eyes and yarn hair. Bilbo would find it all quite sweet if she wasn’t hellishly confused by the entire situation. The girl looked up and looked startled at first and then smiled.

“Hello!” she greeted Bilbo.

“Hello…” Bilbo muttered uneasily.

“Where did you come from?” the girl asked and Bilbo gave a small gesture over her shoulder. “From the wardrobe?” the girl screwed up her face in confusion as she sat up.

“N-No…that’s not…what?” Bilbo furrowed her brows. But before Bilbo could ask any questions the girl held out a doll for Bilbo.

“Come play with me!” the girl offered. Bilbo’s mind started to think about all the horror films that started out with creepy little girls playing with dolls like these. This girl seemed innocent enough and Bilbo didn’t feel immediately threatened, just insanely confused.

“Where are your parents, dear?” Bilbo asked.

“Oh, doing boring stuff,” the girl responded. Bilbo wondered if the girl’s parents worked at the palace and she was waiting for one of them to get off work to take her home for the evening.

“I don’t suppose you’d know how to return to the front entrance?” Bilbo questioned, a little worried about placing trust in a five-year-old’s sense of direction. But if her parents worked her maybe she’d know?

“So, are you a wardrobe fairy?” the young girl asked, ignoring Bilbo’s question.

“A-A wardrobe fairy?” Bilbo giggled at the absurdity of the phrase. Children sure were imaginative. “Well, no. I’m not, I’m just a visitor to the palace I’m trying to get back to my friends.”

“My sister will be here soon and you can ask her to help you,” the girl explained. “She’s good at helping.”

“I thought...your parents…?” Bilbo asked. All right, perhaps it was a sister who worked here and maybe the girls’ parents worked in the village? Bilbo’s mind raced, trying to make the connection to what was happening. The girl mentioned a wardrobe several times and as she looked around it certainly looked more like a room that was lived in. Was it a dressing room? Did the castle have actor tour guides? Was this young woman a tour guide actor here after her shift to pick up her sister who had been waiting on her? Perhaps she’d ended up in their dressing room by mistake. But why would there be a bed in a dressing room? _Well, anyway. This is good_ , Bilbo thought. At least then she could get pointed in the right direction when the girl’s sister showed up. After immediately apologizing for accidentally stumbling into a no-guests zone, of course. “Anyway, my name is Dís,” the girl introduced herself.

“Oh, what a pretty name! I’m Bilbo,” Bilbo returned the introduction. Dís offered one of her dolls to Bilbo again and Bilbo sighed and took the doll sitting down with Dís. She’d only sat down for a moment before the door on the other side of the room creaked open. Bilbo looked up and a young woman with long dark hair and a simple yet gorgeous blue gown stepped through.

“Thorin!” Dís squealed. “Come play with us!”

Before Bilbo could speak up the girl’s sister—Thorin—glared at her and quickly called Dís to her side.

“Dís, come here.” The girl’s sister kept her eyes fixed on the stranger. Bilbo could see why she would be concerned. She just found her young sister sitting with a stranger and Bilbo herself didn’t even quite understand how she’d gotten there.

“Aw, why?” Dís asked. “Come play with us. Please, Thorin?”

“Look, I know how this seems—” Bilbo started to try to explain herself.

“Dís,” the young woman named Thorin hissed again.

“But my dolls!” Dís protested.

“Dís, now. Go find Dwalin, she’s just down the hall.”

“Okay, but be nice to Miss Bilbo. She’s a wardrobe fairy,” Dís explained seriously before leaving the room. Thorin stepped forward slowly looking like she was assessing the situation as the door closed behind the girl.

“Who are you and how did you get in here?” Thorin asked as her hand slowly went into one of the folds of her gown.

“I-I’m so terribly sorry,” Bilbo stuttered, feeling mortified as her anxiety skyrocketed and she was suddenly feeling very threatened. This girl definitely looked like one you didn’t want to cross. Her furrowed brow and scowl was enough to terrify Bilbo. “I was looking for a way back to the front gates and I must have gotten turned around…this old man pointed me in this direction and told me it was a shortcut. I can just…” Bilbo slowly backed up towards the door she’d come in. Her hand reached for the latch and fiddled with it.

“That’s the wardrobe,” Thorin said, calmly stepping forward with calculating eyes.

“N-No—I’m positively sure it’s—I came through that way.” Bilbo looked over her shoulder and before she knew it Thorin was inches away from her, grabbing at the collar of her cardigan with a blade pressed to her throat. Bilbo panicked and let out a small surprised shriek that died in her throat. Was she about to get mugged? Was there some sick agreement between this young woman, the little girl and that supposed kind old man where they lure tourists into a trap and rob them blind?

“I don’t know who you are or how you got in here, but I am going to find out,” Thorin hissed and Bilbo wanted to whimper as she felt the cold sharp edge pressed against her throat. “Guards!”

“P-Please!” Bilbo muttered trying to refrain from breaking down and sobbing out of sheer fright. “I’m just a tourist…my friends are waiting for me, I should get back!”

“You could have hurt my sister,” Thorin’s voice broke as if she’d only just realized the severity of the situation.

“But I-I didn’t!” Bilbo pleaded in a shaky voice.

“Guards…! _Dwalin!”_ Thorin cried again, her voice sounding a little hoarse and Bilbo could hear the doors on the other side of the room burst open and three guards swarmed towards Bilbo as she felt the knife point’s pressure disappear to be replaced with the rough hands that grabbed a hold of her and pushed her back against the wall. She quickly found her hands were bound behind her.

“Thorin, are you all right?” a low voice asked as Bilbo felt the rope around her wrists tighten.

“I’m fine, Dwalin,” Thorin growled. “Is Dís okay?”

“Princess Dís is safe.”

“Just make sure the guard is doubled and the castle is secured,” Thorin ordered. “My mother and grandmother must be notified. Immediately.”

“Yes, your highness,” the low voice muttered again.

Bilbo was allowed to turn around again and she saw that Thorin was standing next to the woman to whom the low rough voice had belonged. The woman looked slightly bizarre to her with long brown hair tied into a braid but was shaved on each side of her head with interesting geometric tattoos covering the bald areas.

The guards escorted Bilbo away and she was pulled down corridors that were familiar yet strangely different all at the same time.

“Please, I don’t mean any harm! I don’t have any weapons on me! I just want to get back to my friends! They’ll vouch for me!” Bilbo pleaded but the guards gave no response. They passed a few other people and clearly none of them tourists. They all dressed too strangely for tourists on a warm day in a castle museum in Germany.

Soon they reached the cellar and she was led down a long dimly lit corridor. Panic was rising in her chest more and more as she struggled to free herself. _What use would it be if I broke free?_ Bilbo thought miserably to herself as the guards’ grip tightened. They arrived at a cell and Bilbo was pushed into it. One of the guards confiscated her bag before she was led to the back of the cell. If the iron bars weren’t enough to keep Bilbo restrained, she was also shackled to the back wall. The cold iron cuffs went around her wrists and ankles.

The guards closed the door and locked Bilbo inside before retreating away leaving Bilbo to sit in almost complete darkness.

Now Bilbo was on the verge of hyperventilation. _What could she do?_ Lobelia, Primula, and Bell would start to figure out something was wrong. Maybe if they retraced their steps or found the old caretaker… yes… hopefully, the caretaker could come and take care of this if he wasn’t a part of this all. Most of this was his fault anyway!

Bilbo suddenly realized she still had her phone in her pocket. Immediately she pulled it out and unlocked it. There were no missed calls, but she realized there was no service. She couldn’t even send texts. Her panic levels rose, realizing there was no hope of reaching out. Especially not within the thick stone wall of the cellars.

She tried dialing the first person on her recent calls list, Primula. Bilbo held the phone up to her ear and listened as the phone informed her there was no service available. She quickly moved out of the phone screen and went to her messages screen and tried to send out a text to her friends. But nothing would send from down there in that cellar. It was hopeless.

Would they be able to find her? The group of people she’d stumbled upon did not seem normal. The one young woman—Thorin, was her name—told her that the door Bilbo came through was a wardrobe. Was this all some kind of joke? Some hoax? Perhaps it was one of those dumb reality shows meant to humiliate people.

“Okay, very funny,” Bilbo called out weakly into the dimly lit cell. “If this is a hoax, I get it—I’m done. I’m not signing a release form either! This is cruel!” Bilbo struggled to find her voice.

Yet no television crew made themselves known…there wasn’t even a sound that responded to her voice. She was truly alone down there in the cellar. For a moment, all she could do is stare into the darkness and try to fathom how on Earth she ended up here.

Surely her friends would be searching for her now. Whatever sordid scheme this was they would find her right? If they called the local police they’d lock down the castle and search every corner to find her, right?

Or perhaps it was all an elaborate life-like dream she was having. She closed her eyes and Bilbo tried to will herself awake yet when she opened her eyes again she was still in the dark cellar.

She groaned loudly to herself and wracked her brain for what to do. Bilbo hated just sitting there and accepting she was now some prisoner in this castle. Quickly, she remembered that she had a few bobby pins in her hair. Bilbo reached up and searched for them with her fingers combing through her long curly hair until she found one at last.

With trembling hands, she tried to find the keyhole on the shackles on her left hand. Of course, she’d never actually tried to pick a lock but she’d seen it done in movies loads of times. The heroine came to the rescue using her hairpins to pick every lock by jamming it in the keyhole and wiggling it around.

It took her a few moments in the dim light for her fingers to find the keyhole and try to fit the pin into the hole.

Bilbo worked the pin and the keyhole for nearly a half an hour before conceding it was obviously not as easy as it looked in the movies.

 _What would I even do if I were able to somehow unlock all these shackles and the door?_ Bilbo thought to herself. Even if she could escape the cell she wouldn’t know which way would be a safe route to escape. And she was still in a strange country she had no idea where the police were or if she could find her friends again.

As it finally began to sink in that she wasn’t getting out of that cell for the night she could no longer fight the sobs that had been threatening to escape since that young woman, Thorin, pushed that blade against her neck.

Bilbo sat and cried until she was hoarse and finally fell asleep sitting upright there against the cold stone wall of the cell.


	2. Chapter 2

Erebor was one of the most powerful kingdoms in all of Middle-Earth. It was well known for its opulent profits from mining, and their subjects were a wealthy people. They traded with Dale, the city just outside the kingdom and Esgorath, the smaller town on the lake that lay a mile east of the castle. 

Thorin's grandmother, Thrór, was currently in her thirty-third year of ruling Erebor and she was a gracious queen. All in the kingdom respected her, Thorin most of all. Thorin hoped when she followed in her grandmother and mother’s footsteps the people would love her just as much as they did her predecessors. She would also have her siblings help to rule. Thorin had a younger brother, Frerin, and a younger sister, Dís. She loved both of her siblings dearly, and despite their young ages, she knew that when they grew up, they’d be valuable assets to her rule. 

That evening their family had sat down to dinner, and Thorin waited for the questions about that afternoon to start. 

“I’ve been informed there was an incident in your sister’s chambers this afternoon, Thorin.” 

Princess Thorin looked up from her lavish plate of food to see her grandmother addressing her. 

“Oh, yes.” Thorin swallowed what food was in her mouth before replying. “It was most bizarre, and I must admit a little terrifying. The intruder did not look like an assassin of any kind, but I couldn’t take the risk with Dís present and called for the guards.” 

“Dwalin was there, was she not?” Thráin, her mother, asked and Thorin refrained from giving an exasperated sigh. 

“Yes, she was just outside the door waiting for me to retrieve Dís. But I can handle myself,” Thorin assured her. “Especially against someone so ill-equipped as the intruder today.” 

“But how did this ‘ill-equipped’ assassin get in?” Frerin asked. “If they were so ill-equipped, it seems impossible that they just so happened to find their way to Dís’ room without alerting anyone.”

“I do not know.” Thorin bowed her head. “She claimed she came through the wardrobe…” Thorin muttered. “As I said, it was most bizarre.”

“She was a wardrobe fairy!” Dís loudly assured them. She’d been most distressed to hear that her sister had locked away her wardrobe fairy friend. “She was good luck! And now we’re going to have bad luck because we threw her in the dungeons.” Dís pouted

“Dear, calm down.” Thráin gave a tired sigh, putting a hand on her daughter’s small shoulder. “We didn’t know if your wardrobe fairy was a good fairy or a bad fairy. It’s only a precaution.” 

Frerin chuckled softly towards his sister who was now pouting about how unfair the whole situation was. Thrór did not look amused, as her brows were drawn together and looked extremely troubled. 

“Dwalin confiscated her bag and searched through it. There were a lot of unusual objects in and we do not know if they are dangerous or not,” Thorin continued her report. 

“I will take a look at these objects tomorrow, and we shall question her motives then,” Thrór decided. 

“May I join you tomorrow in questioning…the wardrobe fairy?” Thorin shot a small smile to her younger sister, who giggled in delight.

“Yes,” Thrór sighed. “I think it would be best for you to be present anyway since you are the one who found this intruder.”

“No, I’m the one who found her! Can’t I come?” Dís asked. “I want to visit with her!” 

“You have lessons tomorrow,” Thráin interjected before Thrór could say anything. “I’m sure Thorin will tell you all about it when we’ve finished,” she assured her daughter. 

“All right,” Dís sighed in defeat.

**x**

Bilbo was woken early the next morning by the sound of footsteps. She didn’t know when she had gotten to sleep with the uncomfortable offerings of an old straw mat and the shackles rubbing her wrists raw all night long.

“Good morning, Miss,” a singsong voice greeted Bilbo that morning. She opened her eyes reluctantly to see a man with a brown mustache and braided hair entering her cell. “The queen will be down here shortly so finish your breakfast and make yourself as presentable as possible.” 

“Well, that’d be easy to do if I hadn’t just spent the night in this cell,” Bilbo muttered but took the tray that was set down before her, her stomach growling in anticipation. 

“Aye, they’re not the most comfortable of living conditions. What are you in here for again?” the man asked, leaning against the cell wall waiting for Bilbo to start her breakfast. 

“I was hoping you could tell me that,” Bilbo muttered picking at the scant breakfast. She was starving, but his insistence on staying made her wonder if there was anything wrong with the food. But she found it odd that they’d poison a prisoner especially if she were about to be questioned.

“No one tells me anything. I was just wondering ‘cause you’re wearing some pretty odd clothes. You don’t seem like you’re from around here,” the man explained. 

“Well, I don’t know how people in Germany are  _ supposed _ to dress, but I’m from England,” Bilbo told him, bitterly. 

“I didn’t understand half of that, but I suppose you’ll be explaining yourself to the Queen soon enough,” the man shrugged. 

“Who is this ‘queen’?” Bilbo asked. “Is this all some sick show you do? I never agreed to any of this, and I could take legal action!” 

The man gave her another odd look before sighing and heading towards the door. 

“Whatever you say, miss. Good luck, and try not to upset the Queen too much.” He let himself out of the cell before locking it behind him.  “It’s best to stay on her good side.” 

Bilbo groaned before finally giving in and taking a bite out of the small loaf of bread. 

Before long there was a commotion down the corridor and Bilbo sat completely still, her heart hammering in her chest. She trained her eyes on the iron barred door in front of her, and suddenly a group of people appeared. It looked like three generations of women and Bilbo could pick out the eldest with silver hair and a lavish gold circlet encrusted with what looked like onyx stones was the queen. The youngest of the three was the young woman, Thorin, who had found her the day before. Two guards escorted them, one of them being the woman guard from the day before. 

“Good day, I am Queen Thrór, these are my heirs: my daughter, Thráin and her daughter Thorin,” the queen introduced them in an even tone.

“Oh, you’re kidding me,” Bilbo murmured. 

“Show some respect,” Thorin hissed, frowning down at her. Bilbo furrowed her brows and frowned back at the youngest princess who folded her arms in an attempt to look intimidating. Bilbo thought it worked because the presence of the three ‘royals’ was enough to make Bilbo’s heart rate double and her palms sweat profusely.

“It’s quite all right, Thorin. I do not expect respect from intruders,” the queen explained calmly and Bilbo turned back to the older woman who was in charge.

“I’m not an intruder,” Bilbo protested, weakly.

“Are you not? You were found in my youngest daughter’s chambers,” Thráin questioned arching an eyebrow. 

“And I’m sorry! I never meant to end up there. It was a mistake… I-I was trying to return to the front of the castle to find my friends,” Bilbo explained as earnestly as she could. “That’s it!”

“Are you working alone or with these friends of yours? Is your appearance here to distract us while some other evil scheme is in place?” Thrór asked, her light blue eyes piercing Bilbo. 

“If you give up whoever you’re working with you will be pardoned,” Thorin offered, Bilbo looking to find the princess looking at her sternly, her brow creased. 

“We have not found any accomplices,” Dwalin supplied quietly. “We searched the grounds yesterday and found no one.” 

“They’re not accomplices to anything! They’re friends!” Bilbo sighed. “Th-They have to be somewhere!” 

“Well, if they were here they’re gone now,” Dwalin explained.

“Can someone just tell me what all this nonsense is about?!” Bilbo demanded. “I was here for a tour! This castle is a tourist attraction!”

“Where do you think you are?” Thrór asked carefully. 

“Germany!” Bilbo spat out quickly. “Where do  _ you  _ think we are?”

“This is Erebor.” Thorin hastily supplied, frowning in confusion. “The greatest of kingdoms and I do not think, I know. This castle has been my home since I was a babe. Same as my mother and grandmother.”

“Erebor? Where on earth is Erebor?” Bilbo screwed up her face in confusion. “Is that like… a local name for this castle? It doesn't exactly sound German, but I don't quite have a grasp of the language yet.” Her gaze continually drifted towards the youngest princess with the faintest of hopes that the girl would help her, but she never held Bilbo’s gaze. Soon Bilbo realized the girl  _ had _ held a knife to her throat and threatened her life only yesterday. So maybe she wasn’t her best choice of an ally in this. 

“Do not look to her. She isn’t going to help you,” Thrór snapped when she caught Bilbo’s eyes going to find Thorin’s once again. 

Instead of answering her question about where Erebor was, Thrór procured Bilbo’s bag that had been confiscated the day before. 

“My bag!” Bilbo seemed to have forgotten all about the bag that had been taken from her the day before.

The queen reached inside, and Bilbo uncomfortably shifted. She hated when people went through her things. 

“What is this device?” Thrór held up the prize she had fished from the bag. 

“My mp3 player,” Bilbo explained evenly. 

“Which is what exactly?” Thráin asked, looking between the device and the girl.

“It plays music,” Bilbo told them. “I can show you.” 

The queen ignored Bilbo and placed her mp3 player back in her bag. 

“What can you tell us about these?” Thrór asked, holding up a travel pamphlet and castle map. “How have you obtained the designs of this castle? Albeit incorrect and strange designs on very odd paper but designs nonetheless.” 

Bilbo winced. None of the evidence in her bag looked very good for her case for…whatever this was.

“It was a part of the tour I was on. The…The place I came from…this castle is a museum, open to the public to tour,” Bilbo tried to explain realizing that these people were not going to give up the act and Bilbo was honestly starting to believe she was no longer where she had been yesterday morning.  _ But how was any of this even possible? _

The three women exchanged confused glances before Thrór stashed the pamphlets back in the bag. If Bilbo weren’t in such a state, she’d probably laugh about her cheap canvas bag accenting the Queen's lavish dress.

“We’ll convene and decide what we’re to do with you,” Thrór decided. Bilbo wanted to give one last plea for her life, but nothing came out as Thrór turned to leave. Thráin followed, and Thorin lingered watching Bilbo scrupulously, her stern look remained in place. 

“Please,” Bilbo muttered. “I’m not dangerous.” Thorin scoffed and finally turned to leave. “I’m not dangerous, I’m—I’m just scared!” Bilbo called as the princess turned away. She felt a tear roll down her cheek, and she began to cry realizing just how terrified she was.

Thorin froze and listened to the prisoner’s muffled sobs. She could feel gooseflesh on the back of her neck, and her blood chilled, and she knew deep down that those sobs must have been genuine. Thorin tried to shrug the odd sensation and attempted to focus on the facts.

_ She is a prisoner.  _

_ She is a prisoner for endangering Dís.  _

_ She is a prisoner for endangering my family, and she deserves no pity. _

**x**

That evening the man who had brought her breakfast, brought her dinner and had his arms full with something else. Bilbo accepted the food eagerly; she was starving and grateful for the food this time. 

“I brought you some comfort as well,” the man offered what was in his arms. Bilbo finally realized it was a blanket. She’d been shivering for well over an hour, and this blanket was a welcoming sight. 

“Oh, my goodness, thank you,” Bilbo thanked the man with the most earnest look she could muster. 

“No worries. I’m Bofur by the way,” Bofur introduced himself. “I run errands around the castle, mostly for the kitchen where my brother works.” 

“I’m Bilbo… why are you being so kind to me?” Bilbo asked. 

“I have a niece about your age,” Bofur explained. “I don’t know if you’re innocent or guilty of whatever they’ve accused you of, but if my niece was in a situation like this… I’d want her taken care of, no matter what.” 

“Oh,” Bilbo muttered quietly and nodded. “Well, you are very kind indeed.” 

“How was the interrogation with the queen today?” Bofur asked, conversationally. 

“Irritating? Stressful? I don’t know. I just wish I could be let out of this cell so I could figure out where the hell I am.”

“Well, you don’t need to leave your cell to do that. I can tell you that you’re in Erebor. But since you’re here I’m not sure how you don’t know that already.” Bofur explained. Bilbo gave a miserable sigh as she ran a hand over her face. 

“That’s what everyone keeps saying! But I don’t know what—what country is Erebor even in?” Bilbo asked. 

“I suppose we’d be in the Rhovanian region. Dale lies to the East and the Long Lake and Esgorath to our south. Where did you think you were?” Bofur gave a pitying smile. 

“Germany,” Bilbo muttered. “Where is Germany in relation to Erebor?”

“I don’t know where that is,” Bofur admitted. 

“Germany! It’s a country in Europe!” Bilbo growled frustratedly.  _ How did no one know proper geography? Had any of them seen a map?  _ She furiously tried to remember any other names that she could use in case she’d somehow been sent back in time. But never once had she come across any of these names Bofur gave her in any kinds of history she’d ever learned, and they didn't speak German. In fact, they sounded distinctly English.

“There’s no Germany or Europe… not that I’m aware of.” Bofur shrugged. 

“One of the countries involved in the world wars seventy years ago?” Bilbo tried, weakly. “Or seventy years ago, since where I’m from.”

“There hasn’t been any  _ world wars _ in a long time, centuries even.” Bofur shrugged, and Bilbo’s eyes went wide, leaving her even more confused. They must all be insane and brainwashed, surely. People couldn’t  _ not _ know about the World Wars.  _ Had she fallen back in time?  _

Or was it the future? Centuries into the future? That made no sense either. Why would humanity revert back to castles and queens and princesses in a couple of centuries time?

Besides, the thought of time travel was ridiculous.

Even though the castle was familiar, nothing felt the same. Even the air felt different to Bilbo, and at first, she’d wondered if that was just because she’d been put in the cellars. But now she was beginning to understand how bad her situation was, despite not understanding anything about how she got there or where—or rather, when—she was. 

Bilbo began to take quick shallow breaths, and she tried to calm herself down. 

“I’m sorry I can’t do more to help,” Bofur gave her a guilty look. Bilbo swallowed hard, turning her attention back to the kind man.

“No, no, you’ve already helped plenty.” Bilbo gestured to the blanket around her shoulders. “And listening to me when it feels like no one else will.” 

“Hopefully the whole situation will be sorted out soon.” Bofur offered her a gentle smile. 

Bilbo had a feeling that it wouldn’t be as easy as that but thanked the man nonetheless before he left Bilbo in her cell and she sighed miserably. 

**x**

“As some of you have learned, my family is no longer safe in our own chambers,” Thrór started the council. This declaration seemed to cut off any further whisperings, and the room went completely silent. 

Thrór went on to explain the situation and what they had learned so far from investigating the room to the interrogation of the intruder. Thorin sat and listened as her grandmother carefully described the threat that this posed to their kingdom and what they were to do in the coming weeks to make sure it didn’t happen again. A pit formed in Thorin’s stomach realizing how bad the situation was. 

“No one is to go near the prisoner. It is clear after today’s interrogation that the intruder is determined not to share any information.” Thrór explained. She hadn’t mentioned to those in attendance that the intruder was, in fact, a young girl, about Thorin’s age. Thorin wondered if it was an intimidation tactic, letting everyone’s imagination wander to create a fearsome figure as the intruder into her sister’s room. 

Or perhaps it was to hide the shame those guards on duty probably felt. She knew Dwalin already felt terrible guilt about it happening. It would be quite humiliating to announce to her counsel that a young unequipped girl found her way into the royal chambers. 

Thorin sighed, toying at a small loose thread on her dress and pulled her fur over coat a little more snugly around her shoulders.

“We will let the intruder reflect on what is important, and hopefully that will lead to more information. But the prisoner needs almost complete isolation for this tactic to be carried out.” Thrór continued. 

“And what if this tactic does not loosen this intruder’s lips? Then what?” one of the council members asked.  

“That is still to be decided,” Thrór replied pursing her lips. It had been quite some time since the last time their dungeon held a prisoner that withheld information, but Thorin knew what tactics could be used. Gruesome images of the girl being tortured flashed into her mind, and her stomach twisted uncomfortably. Her mind carried on wondering if her grandmother would sentence death upon the girl in the end and began to imagine being present at the execution. 

Thorin had to stop herself before she became nauseous. Normally she was not so squeamish nor did she herself fear physical harm and wondered what was so different about this. Perhaps it was because it was because the intruder was a seemingly timid, young girl about her age and there was still that sliver of doubt that she actually planned to end up in Dís’ room and it was actually some misunderstanding. But whether or not she was guilty and only acting innocent, the thought still disturbed Thorin to imagine any physical harm towards the girl. 

Soon the council had been dismissed, and Thorin lingered with her mother as her grandmother left the chamber discussing something with one or two of the guards with Dwalin amongst them. 

“So nothing else has been found in Dís’ room?” Thorin asked as more people cleared out. “No clues whatsoever?” 

“None. We can't determine how the intruder got in. I want to know how she did it and I want to know how to keep this from happening again. What if next time someone more dangerous than a young girl comes through and into Dís’ bedroom whether by chance or on purpose?” Thráin posed. Thorin swallowed loudly. 

“Perhaps we should move Dís from her room and give her another one,” Thorin suggested, immediately. She did not like the thought of leaving Dís alone in that room any longer. “At least for now, only until we’ve figured this out. 

“I do like that idea,” Thráin mumbled. “Where shall we move her?”

“We can move her into my room so if another intruder does find their way to her I should be able to protect her instantly,” Thorin offered quietly. 

“I can agree to that. Thank Mahal you were going to find her when you did. Dís said the intruder had only been there a moment before you came in to get her,” Thráin sighed. Thorin remained quiet; the intruder’s plea that she hadn’t been planning to hurt Dís and her muffled sobs echoed in her mind. The small nagging sensation that the girl could be innocent continued to pester her. 

“Then it’s decided,” Thorin nodded. “I’ll have Dís sleep with me tonight. We can arrange a more permanent solution later.” 

“Thank you, dear,” Thráin smiled with a small pat on her daughter’s shoulder. 

“Of course,” Thorin bowed her head and offered her mother a small smile. 

“I’ll see you at dinner tonight,” Thráin finished gathering her things. “I must go after my mother. I can tell she’s in a state.” Thráin gave a soft sigh, and Thorin wished her luck before heading off to finish what she needed to before supper that evening. 

**x**

Thorin returned to her chambers that night after their dinner, with Dís trailing along after her sister and ran to bounce on Thorin’s bed when they arrived. 

“This is going to be fun, sleeping in your room!” Dís exclaimed. When Thorin had told her of her new sleeping arrangements, her younger sister acted as if it were more of a reward than a safety measure, but Thorin was glad at least that Dís hadn’t been so traumatized by the event. 

“Did you talk to the wardrobe fairy today?” Dís asked once she’d buried herself in the heavy blankets on Thorin’s bed.

“Yes, little one. We did.” Thorin smiled before shedding her overcoat. Thorin sat at her vanity and began to undo the braids at her temples. 

“Was she nice to you like she was to me?” Dís questioned, and Thorin wasn’t quite sure how to respond. The girl had been somewhat rude, but in her defense, she looked tired and ruffled, and she had just spent the night in the cell. Not to mention if she had been planning to do something, she’d been thwarted, and that’d put anyone in a bad mood. But it was less angry and more… desperate and sad. 

There was a knock on the door, interrupting her thoughts, and Thorin bid whoever was outside to come in, expecting it to be her handmaiden, Ori. The door to her chambers opened and in stepped Frerin. 

“Frerin!” Dís shrieked. “You’re not allowed in here!” The younger sister found a pillow on Thorin’s bed and threw it towards the door. The pillow didn’t have enough force behind it to get to the door but Frerin still shot his younger sister a rude glare. 

“That was a lousy throw, little sister.” Frerin went over and picked up the pillow before he threw it back, earning a shriek from Dís. 

“Frerin?” Thorin stood up, looking confused. “What are you doing? Why are you here?” 

“Kick him out, Thorin. Girls only in Thorin’s room!” Dís declared, and Thorin sighed and shook her head at her sister. 

“Frerin’s allowed in here. He knocked nicely.” Thorin chastised her sister. “Now what is it?” Thorin turned back to her brother. 

“Mother said you went to interrogate the…erm, ‘wardrobe fairy’ today.” Frerin stifled as laugh and Dís giggled from her pile of blankets. “I didn’t want to ask about it at supper tonight.” 

“Probably a wise choice. Grandmother is still upset and distressed about someone finding their way into our castle. If you’d brought it up at dinner, I dread what would have become of her temperament.” 

“So? How’d it go?” Frerin asked excitedly. 

“We got no information if that’s what you want to know. The girl still will not talk about any schemes against the kingdom or how she got inside. She just continues to spout nonsense.” Thorin sighed. “But as we stood there and talked to her… she looked scared and confused. She was nearly to tears and when we left she was weeping so terribly… I almost… began to pity her,” Thorin admitted quietly. 

“Thorin, that’s probably what she wants you to think. This girl was able to slip past every security measure and get into Dís’ room. Dís could have been killed,” Frerin dropped his voice to avoid their youngest sister overhearing, but she did regardless. “She’s dangerous and not someone to be pitied.” 

“The wardrobe fairy wasn’t going to kill me! She’s nice!” Dís argued loudly, sounding incredibly frustrated. Thorin gave another exasperated sigh.

“No, I maintain what I said. She does not look like someone who could do much harm to us, and she wasn’t found with any weapons. Unless the small devices in her satchel could be used as weapons but we don’t know enough about them to make assumptions.” 

“Of course, do you think a Mirkwood spy would look like a spy?”

“What do you mean? Is that who you think it is?” Thorin asked. “You think the girl is from Mirkwood? We have an alliance with King Thranduil, he would not send spies and certainly none as incompetent as this girl.”

“We have a strained relationship with Mirkwood at best. You know that,” Frerin mumbled. “I wouldn’t put it past Thranduil. They’re finally going to declare war on us.” 

Thorin groaned. Everything he was saying was a bit preposterous, but she would be lying if the thought hadn’t crossed her mind.  

“Thranduil probably hired her for her innocent looks so if she was caught she could escape much questioning. Wait, is she quite beautiful?” Frerin asked. The question caught Thorin off guard, a faint heat rising in her cheeks. 

“What? Why?” Thorin couldn’t help but laugh at her brother’s question. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“You know trying to deceive us with pretty young innocent looking spies?” Frerin shrugged. Thorin raised her eyebrows and considered it, giving him a thoughtful nod. 

“That could be the tactic they are using.” Thorin conceded at last. “But it still doesn’t explain how she got inside.” 

“What if she really  _ is _ a fairy?” Frerin suggested excitedly, his face lighting up. 

“Are you referring to the rumors that Thranduil is a sorcerer?” Thorin asked. “Because  _ that _ is preposterous.” 

“Maybe he isn’t a sorcerer, but maybe he’s got a pinch of fairy dust to spirit people from his kingdom into our chambers?” Frerin asked.

“Frerin,” Thorin smiled, smothering her own laugh. 

“What? When that turns out to be the case, don’t say I didn’t tell you!” Frerin sputtered. 

“I love you, little brother, but I don’t think it is fairy dust.” Thorin chuckled, but she did admire Frerin’s determination to work out a solution. Thorin was glad that he’d be a part of her council when she was eventually crowned queen. He would be a valuable asset at least when he wasn’t spouting off about fairy nonsense. Between him and Dís, Mahal save her. 

Eventually, Frerin ran out of questions about the ‘fairy intruder’ and Dís started to get sleepy. Frerin soon left and Dís starting to settle down to sleep. 

“Does Miss Ori know I’m here in your room tonight?” Dís asked before giving a wide yawn. 

“She’ll be along shortly,” Thorin assured her sister. Thorin continued combing out her hair, absently staring at her reflection in the looking glass mulling over the day’s events. 

Something still didn’t sit quite right with Thorin about the prisoner. Her instinct, while it usually told her not to trust a soul outside her own family and friends, was telling her to trust the girl and her outlandish claims. But it would be best to leave the issue to her mother and grandmother who had much more experience in matters such as this.

Ori, their handmaiden, finally came for her that night to dress her for bed Thorin had exhausted herself with her thinking and was ready to retire. Thorin smiled up at her quiet friend who returned the look with a soft smile. The young girl always wore simple clothing and her short russet colored hair was always cut a little oddly—Thorin always suspected the girl’s elder brother, the court tailor had tried to cut it himself, which was always an amusing thought. Dori knew his way around cutting cloth but wasn’t quite as good with hair. 

Thorin would count Ori among her closest friends. Not that she had many friends at all, but Thorin sighed and figured that was all a part of being a princess after all. 

Dís was the first to be dressed for bed with a nightgown Ori had brought from the young princess’ room. 

“Did you go alone to collect Dís’ nightclothes?” Thorin asked cautiously as her fingers idly moved through her own locks of hair. 

“Don’t worry, your highness,” Ori smiled bashfully. “Dwalin escorted me.” 

“Oh, good,” Thorin nodded with a soft smile. She knew Ori was one of the few people Dwalin ever exposed her soft side towards and Thorin knew her handmaiden was especially sweet on the guard. “I’m glad.” 

Soon Dís commandeered the conversation to tell Ori all about her day, and Thorin smiled encouragingly while listening to Dís talk, which was a good distraction from the thoughts that had been occupying her mind all day.

Once Dís was done being prepared for bed she went back to where she’d curled up in Thorin’s bed while Ori got Thorin ready for bed, which was a little less strenuous ordeal than Thorin’s young sister. Soon Ori bid them good night and Thorin came to get into bed beside her sister who was already snoring softly. Thorin chuckled softly pulling the covers up around the both of them.

But still, Thorin lay awake for hours, the dilemma of the sudden appearance of the strange girl keeping her awake. She was still completely shaken by finding the girl in her sister’s room, though having Dís sleep next to her did calm her quite a bit. But the sheer thought that someone was able to waltz right into Dís’ room like that with no guard seeing her, troubled Thorin deeply. 

She let out a shuddering sigh. The intruder could have killed Dís without anyone knowing she was in or out of the room.  _ But I-I didn’t! _ Thorin could still hear the girl’s terrified shaky voice. It echoed around inside her mind.  _ Yes, why didn’t she? _ Why did the girl waste the opportunity and all the effort to get into the room if she truly had schemed to kill Dís or anyone in the royal family?

All part of a grander scheme, Thorin supposed as she rolled over and tried to get comfortable. Nothing connected or made sense and it infuriated her. She needed more information… if she could just… figure out what the girl wanted or where she came from… but her grandmother had prohibited anyone from going to visit the prisoner. She gave a frustrated sigh. 

Thorin decided she’d think more about it the next day and finally drifted off into a fitful sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANKS FOR THE PATIENCE. I got caught up with my last semester of school but now I've graduated now and ready to update on a more regular schedule! [fingers crossed] Thanks for reading!!


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

The worst part of living in the cell was that Bilbo was incredibly bored. For the day or two, she had her phone but even that offered little entertainment with no service, and soon the phone died.

She had nothing to distract herself from the cold and uncomfortable feeling the cell provided. Life in the cell was miserable, and everything had started to smell terrible on top of the already musty smell. Bilbo began to think she’d give just about anything for a steaming hot shower with ten different kinds of soaps that all had wonderful sweet scents. 

The only time she had a distraction from her misery was when Bofur came and visited with her when he brought her meals. He was kind, but Bilbo could still only feel depressed, so she let him do most of the talking. He told her about the kingdom she had somehow wound up in, and Bilbo was starting to wonder if she _ had _ traveled back in time. But none of the tales Bofur had to tell sounded anything like what she’d heard on the tour. 

Part of began to wonder if this was all some group of clinically insane people all a part of some weird fantasy cult… if things like that even existed. That possibility scared her the most but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. No history matched up, this all had to be some imagined ‘plotline’ they were all determined to live out in some… insane replica of the castle she’d been visiting. They must have been in line with the caretaker back at the real castle, and he looks for people separated from their groups to send to these people to play with. She was just these people’s plaything. 

Yes, that caretaker sent her through some trapdoor to end up… where ever this was. Surely those at the castle knew about these crazy people living on their premises? How far had she really gone through that corridor? 

And if she were still on the castle grounds wouldn’t the police have found them by now?

The more she thought about it, the more it hurt her head. What tortured Bilbo the most was the fact that her friends and family would think she had been abducted and probably killed by this point and that stressed her out the most.

She was perfectly fine despite being completely filthy and uncomfortable… or at least until the band of lunatics decided to do something to her. She still felt as if the ‘guard,’ Dwalin, was going to come down to the dungeons at any moment and drag her out of the cell telling her that the ‘royal family’ had decided to behead her. 

Finally, one afternoon, her excruciatingly boring schedule changed when it was not Bofur to bring Bilbo her meal for the evening. It was Thorin herself, accompanied by Dwalin. 

Bilbo sat up in her cell as Dwalin unlocked the door to Bilbo’s cell. 

“Have you come to bring me my last meal and tell me I’m to be beheaded in the morning?” Bilbo spat a little sourly. But could they blame her? She’d been locked up in this cell for what seemed like weeks. 

“Behead you? No. Not yet, at least,” Thorin gave her a small smirk. “It’s only been three days. We have not decided yet what is to be done with you.” 

“Three days? That’s it?” Bilbo groaned. “Well, hurry up. It’s excruciatingly boring down here. If you’re going to kill me just get it over with.” Thorin gave her a look that might have been somewhat amused.

“You seem eager to die,” Thorin looked at her with a curious look. 

“Well, I don’t want to die. I just don’t want to be in this cell any longer.” Bilbo explained. “But if that’s what it takes.” Bilbo joked, dryly.

“You’d be willing to die to get out of the cells?” Thorin asked, with a scrutinizing look. 

“It… it was a joke, I guess.” Bilbo shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m starting to think death would be more welcome than whatever you’ve got planned for me.” 

“I told you, nothing’s been decided,” Thorin rebuked. 

“But an execution is still an option, isn’t it?” Bilbo asked. For the first time, it seemed as if the princess was speechless; a disconcerted expression briefly flashed across her features. After a torturously long silence, Bilbo muttered weakly, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“No.” Thorin shook her head, but still stood, looking a little unsettled by Bilbo’s words. Bilbo frowned, wondering what kind of game the princess was playing. Trying to end this uncomfortable situation Bilbo spoke up again. 

“All right, then, I’ll take my meal now.” 

Thorin set down the meal in front of Bilbo and took a seat on a wooden stool in the corner of the cell that Bilbo hadn’t been able to reach with the shackles binding her wrists and ankles. 

“So, what is this another interrogation?” Bilbo asked when Thorin didn’t look as if she was intending on leaving. 

“No, of course not.” Thorin shook her head. “My mother and grandmother don’t even know I’m down here.” 

“And your babysitter over there isn’t going to tell them?” Bilbo nodded to Dwalin who stood guard just outside the cell. 

“Dwalin is not my… my babysitter. She’s my personal guard as well as my cousin,” Thorin explained. “If I tell her she will not tell my mother and grandmother of my whereabouts, then she will not.” 

“Even if she’s not particularly happy about it, mind you,” Dwalin added from outside. 

“Even if she’s not particularly happy about it, yes,” Thorin repeated with a small smile over her shoulder towards the guard. 

Bilbo watched Thorin carefully. She didn’t seem insane at least. Perhaps it was because she’d been raised among the others and had only known this life since she was a child.  _ How unfair, _ Bilbo thought to herself. 

“So… why are you down here, then?” Bilbo asked as she slowly picked at the stale bread that she was already sick of, but her stomach grumbled in protest. 

“I…” Thorin searched for an excuse. 

“She pities you,” Dwalin supplied helpfully. Thorin gave a low hissing noise that may have been a ‘shush’ with a glance back to her guard. 

“Thanks, I don’t need your pity. Unless your pity is going to get me out of here,” Bilbo offered. She began to wonder if this was some ploy. The queen or the queen’s daughter sent Thorin down to attempt to act friendly to get information from her. Bilbo felt a little insulted, but at least this was more entertaining than sitting and staring at the brick walls and iron bars. 

“I would like to help you…that is if you would help us,” Thorin explained evenly. Bilbo blinked a few times at the young woman. 

“Help you how?” Bilbo asked warily.

“Tell us the details, the true details of everything that happened,” Thorin inquired. “My grandmother may be more inclined to release you and give you a much more lenient punishment.” 

“I’ve already told you everything I know about this situation. I’m just as confused as the rest of you,” Bilbo muttered, folding her arms. Thorin sighed. 

“Okay, you don’t have to talk about how you got here,” Thorin decided, and Bilbo raised her eyebrows surprised the princess gave up so easily. “Instead of telling me about how you got here…why don’t you tell me about yourself?” Thorin asked. Bilbo continued to watch the princess carefully and remained quiet. “Or I…suppose I’ll leave you to your supper.” Thorin stood from her spot. “Dwalin, if you’d please.” 

“Wait,” Bilbo muttered. She didn’t want to be left alone again. “If you want to…I’ll talk. But you can’t tell me I’m crazy because right now you all seem like the crazy ones.” 

Thorin slowly took a seat again and situated her gown. 

“Why don’t you start with your name?” Thorin prompted.

“My name is Bilbo Baggins,” Bilbo started slowly. 

“I’m Thorin, daughter of Thráin, daughter of  Thrór. It’s a pleasure to be properly acquainted.” Thorin returned the greeting. “Please continue.” 

“I’m… I’m a student, and I study English Literature.” Bilbo started. She began talking about her life at university, and what her parents were like and all about her cousins and it all began to make her feel terribly homesick. The only thoughts she’d had while in there were how she’d get out, but now that her attention was focused on talking about those closest to her, she felt a weight settle in her stomach, and eventually, she grew quiet. 

“I am envious. You sound like you’ve had a very enjoyable life so far.” Thorin offered quietly. 

“Do you not have an enjoyable life?” Bilbo asked, unsteadily as she tried to hide the tears gathering in her eyes. 

“It is enjoyable on occasion. I have a heavy burden on my shoulders as heir to the throne, and I often feel its weight,” Thorin explained simply. 

“Oh,” Bilbo nodded. “I’m…sorry?” Bilbo said with a shrug. It sounded odd to offer a princess who lived in a lavish castle her sympathies, but she supposed the duties of royalty might be more irksome than imagined. Still, royalty had a better life than most.

_ What was she thinking? This was all make-believe! _

“Thank you,” Thorin stiffly replied before giving a quiet sigh before Thorin got up and Bilbo wondered for a moment if she’d said something that had offended Thorin, but the princess gave her a small smile. 

“I must be returning, or I shall be missed,” Thorin told her as Dwalin opened the cell so Thorin could step out. 

“I-I enjoyed talking to you,” Bilbo quickly admitted. “Better than sitting here alone in the dark.” ...  _ Even if you all are a bunch of crazies.  _

“I enjoyed talking to you as well, Bilbo. If you’d like, I shall return for another visit soon.” 

“That…would be nice,” Bilbo decided with a timid nod. “If you aren’t going to get in trouble.” Bilbo cast a wary glance to Thorin’s guard, Dwalin. 

“I promise. I’ll be back.” Thorin waved before turning and gracefully making her way down the corridor with Dwalin. 

**x**

Thorin did indeed keep her promise to visit Bilbo. Two days later Thorin appeared once again with Bilbo’s meal at lunchtime—which had a little more sustenance to it, Bilbo noticed.

This time Bilbo listened while Thorin talked. She noticed that the princess was careful to avoid any actual information that could be dangerous in the wrong hands. Bilbo didn’t mind since she obviously did not intend on gaining information or using any of it against their kingdom.

“I miss my home,” Bilbo thought to herself when there was a lull in the conversation. Suddenly she realized she had said it out loud. Thorin gave Bilbo a sad look with a quiet sigh. Bilbo bit her lip and gave a shuddering sigh.

“You truly are just a young girl lost from home, aren’t you?” Thorin asked, softly. 

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all,” Bilbo sniffled, reining in her emotions. “I just want to be home with my parents and even stupid Lobelia who will scold me for the rest of my life for worrying her. I just want to be home,” Bilbo sighed wiping away any stray tears. 

“Do you think you will you be able to get back?” Thorin asked. 

“I should ask you that. Your castle is apparently the magic-y one that brought me here.” Bilbo looked hopeful towards the princess. 

“Our castle has no magic. I believe it must have been your side that was the one that got you here.” Thorin explained.  

“So I guess this means you believe me now?” Bilbo asked a little incredulously. “That I came from somewhere else and ended up here purely by accident?” Bilbo questioned. 

“I’m not sure. But there aren’t many other options to believe at the moment unless you have any new information to add to what you’ve already told us.” Thorin looked towards Bilbo. Bilbo sighed and shook her head, resting her head against the wall. 

“I wish I did. I would have given it up long ago to get out of this place. I wish there were an entire scheme I could give up and give you every detail in exchange for a hot meal and a warm bed,” Bilbo sighed, earnestly. 

“You’d be so quick to betray those you work for?” Thorin asked, raising her eyebrows. Bilbo shrugged. 

“Well, seeing as I don’t work for anyone, yes. I mean, I suppose if it was someone like my parents or my family I might not,” Bilbo thought on the question. “But if it were just somebody I was working for or whatever… yeah, I think I would.”

“You’re not a very loyal subject.” Thorin raised her eyebrows with a small smirk, in almost a teasing manner. 

“That’s why I’ve never considered a life as a spy,” Bilbo replied sardonically. “I have no constitution for it. Besides, I have nothing against your family. In fact, you all seem…well if you weren’t the ones to put me here—I suppose, what I’m trying to say is that you at least seem nice. I would never wish harm upon you or your family. Especially your sister. She seemed very sweet.” Bilbo offered quietly and Thorin remained silent, staring at the girl. Bilbo could almost see the gears turning in Thorin’s mind as she worked to process what Bilbo had said and she chuckled at the princess’s blank stare. Bilbo supposed she’d be confused too and she gave a quiet sigh when Thorin continued to say nothing in return. 

“Perhaps if we had met during different circumstances we could have been good friends,” Thorin said softly, and Bilbo looked up, curiously. The princess gave the prisoner a gentle smile. She had actually meant it. 

“So I suppose this means there really is no hope that I’ll find a way back to where I came from then?”

“I’m sorry, Bilbo,” Thorin apologized, and she sounded incredibly sincere, and once again Bilbo wondered why the princess was acting so kind to a supposed ill-intentioned intruder.

“I suppose I could always try the way I came in,” Bilbo suggested, trying to lighten the mood. 

“We’ve searched the wardrobe, and there’s nothing there,” Thorin explained. 

“Maybe it’d only open for me? Or the one who has this?”  Bilbo retrieved the key that the caretaker had given her. She had stashed it in her pocket, and like her phone, it hadn’t been confiscated when the guards took her bag. 

“What is that?” Thorin asked standing up. Slowly she approached as Bilbo held up the key. 

“The key I used to get in,” Bilbo told her.

“May I?” Thorin reached forward tentatively. Bilbo hesitated for a moment wondering if she’d take it as a part of the evidence. Bilbo hadn’t told anyone of the key because she thought maybe it was the only chance she’d have if she could ever get out of that cell. 

“All right,” Bilbo conceded. Thorin reached out and plucked it from Bilbo’s grimy fingers and brought it up to her eyes to study it in the dim light. 

“You say you got this from your side?” Thorin asked. “It looks remarkably similar to our keys. Dwalin,” Thorin turned to face the door. “The key to my room please.” Dwalin detached a small ring of keys from her belt, took one off and handed it to the princess. 

“I didn’t—” Bilbo started to panic. Why did she think that showing Thorin the key was a smart idea? Now Bilbo was to be accused of actually being an intruder that had stolen keys. 

“If you think she’s stolen one of the keys to get into your chambers, my lady, I assure there’s been no keys missing from my ring,” Dwalin assured Thorin with a small glance towards Bilbo. Bilbo returned the look with a grateful one, thankful that she at least had the guard standing up for her. She was probably just defending herself, but still… Bilbo was grateful.

“That’s not what puzzles me. Still, I’d like to keep the key to double check that it doesn’t fit any of our chambers,” Thorin murmured to herself. 

“O-Oh,” Bilbo swallowed hard. “Do you think it’ll help prove my innocence?” 

“Possibly.” Thorin nodded. “Or it may prove your guilt.” 

“Well, I’d rather you not if it’s only going to prove I’m guilty.” Bilbo reached her hand back out, the shackle around her wrist jangling a bit. 

Thorin pursed her lips. 

“I still think I’d like to take it,” Thorin said assertively. 

“I didn’t give you that key to take back to your mother or grandmother!” Bilbo protested. She moved to get up and challenge Thorin. The chains didn’t allow much movement, and she was a little light headed as she stood up. Dwalin was quick to pull the door open and enter the cell with them. Bilbo backed up not wanting to go against Thorin’s impressive guard and soon the two of them were gone. 

Bilbo sat in her cell and panicked as she watched Thorin and Dwalin stride quickly away from her cell.

She shouldn’t have pulled the key out. She should have just tried to persuade Thorin to let her try her sister’s wardrobe again and if it worked Bilbo could be on her merry way back to Germany. Now she’d probably handed off evidence of her supposed guilt right over without a thought. This was the final nail in her coffin, and she’d be convicted of stealing away into the queen’s youngest granddaughter’s room. 

She felt betrayed if nothing else. These visits from Thorin were nice, and she thought maybe they were coming to friendly terms. 

Though part of her understood the girl refusing to return the key. She was only doing her duty to her kingdom, or something, Bilbo groaned to herself. 

**x**

Thorin and Dwalin swept back up to the upper levels of Erebor and Thorin’s brother, Frerin was quick to find them.

“Thorin, there you are,” Frerin sighed as he hurried along at her side as she walked. “Grandmother isn’t too pleased you keep skipping out on your duties. What are you up to?” he asked noticing Thorin’s purposeful stride as he fought to keep up with her. 

“Bilbo gave me this today,” Thorin explained, fishing the key out of the folds of her gown. 

“Bilbo…? Oh, the—hang on.” Frerin began to put things together. “The prisoner? You’ve been down to see her? I thought grandmother put a strict silent policy on her for at least another week. We’re not supposed to have any interaction at all with her until she promises to give actual information about who she is and how she got in?”

“Aye, she knows that," Dwalin grumbled. 

“And I thought you weren’t invited to the council session that that order was decreed,” Thorin gave her brother a knowing look. 

“I-I mean it’s just common knowledge…” Frerin argued. “Maybe I just heard it from Balin,” Frerin decided. “Besides, when do you break Grandmother’s decrees? You’re always first in line to defend them.” 

“I was… curious… and something told me the silent treatment isn’t going to work against this prisoner. But I’m starting to believe the version of events she’s given both me and Grandmother is the version she believes is true. Either she’s telling the truth, or she’s delusional. Regardless, it’s a sad situation. Though I know she does dread being in that cell alone I figured if I offered her companionship under the guise of being friendly and not an interrogator she’d be more willing to share information—and it worked.” Thorin held up the key. 

“Wh—it’s a key? To Dís’ chamber?” Frerin asked, looking horrified. “We have to tell Grandmother about this, Thorin.” 

“I don’t know if it’s to Dís’ chamber or not. That’s what I’m going to try to prove now.” Thorin nodded towards the direction of their chambers.

Thorin grabbed her brother’s arm and tugged him along the rest of the way. They finally reached their family’s chambers and Thorin went forward and tried to door handle. It was locked. Thorin took a deep breath before sliding the key into the keyhole. For a moment something clicked and Thorin’s heart sank a little. She wiggled the key and tried to turn it, but nothing happened. The key was stuck. 

“Well?” Frerin asked. 

“It’s not a fit.” Thorin announced, feeling relieved and quite glad that the key was not to her sister’s room. And she couldn’t have gotten in with a key that wouldn’t fit. To be safe she and Frerin went to check the other doors in the royal wing and none of them fit. 

“Now what?” Frerin asked. 

“I want to try one more door,” Thorin stared at the key in her hand. “She said she came in through Dís’ wardrobe. Perhaps the key fits to the door to Dís’ wardrobe?”

“We’ve already cleared that she couldn’t have gotten in through the door to Dís’ room though. How would she have gotten into the wardrobe if she didn’t have they key to the room in the first place?” 

“I’m not sure, but I’d like to check.” Thorin insisted. She led her brother and cousin back towards their sister’s room and Dwalin unlocked the door to the girl’s room. They entered and found Dís had only just returned from her riding lessons. 

“Thorin!” Dís smiled as her sister entered her room. “What are you and Frerin and Dwalin doing?” 

“We’re checking your wardrobe for more wardrobe fairies, little one,” Thorin smiled at her sister. 

“I checked before I went to my lesson this morning,” Dís sighed, sounding sad about her lack of discovery. 

“Yes, but you didn’t have this key did you?” Thorin held up the key. “It’s the key the wardrobe fairy used to get in.” 

“What?” Dís jumped up and down hurrying over to where Thorin was. 

Thorin made her way over to the wardrobe and Dwalin picked up the younger princess in her arms as Thorin went to put the key in the keyhole and Frerin breathed in, with anticipation. Thorin wiggled the key around in they keyhole before pulling it out and declaring that it didn’t fit. 

Frerin exhaled his held breath. 

“Now what?” Frerin asked. 

“Now, we go tell Mother what we’ve discovered,” Thorin ordered. Dwalin set the girl down and made her promise she’d stay there in her room while they went to talk to the queen. Dís moaned sadly but agreed when Dwalin promised she’d sneak her sweet cakes from the kitchen. 

Now Thorin, Dwalin, and Frerin hurried through the royal wing and down towards the council chambers, hoping to catch the queen and her daughter. During this time of day,  Thrór and Thráin would be there meeting with their advisors. 

Thorin pushed the door open with not so much of a knock and both her mother and grandmother looked up to see who was disrupting their council. 

“Thorin,”  Thrór greeted. “I was not aware that you had been planning to attend this afternoon. Especially after all your other neglected duties,”  Thrór commented, her tone not betraying much emotion but Thorin could tell there was an edge of annoyance at being disrupted. 

“My deepest apologies, Grandmother. Pardon my intrusion,” Thorin bowed her head respectively. The members of her grandmother’s council all focused their eyes on her now. 

“Well, what is it you need now that you've interrupted us?” Thráin asked. 

“I have new information about the intruder who now sits in our dungeons,” Thorin explained, and the council perked up as if begging her to continue. 

“And how did you manage that?”  Thrór questioned. “Did you find something in Dís’ room?” 

“No. Pardon my actions, Grandmother, but I’ve been down to the dungeon.” Thorin suddenly realized no one but Dwalin and Frerin had known about her extra visits down to Miss Baggins’ cell. 

“You’ve defied my orders?”  Thrór’s hand on the table clenched tightly. 

“I have, and you may punish me however you see fit,” Thorin offered, openly expressing her remorse. “But my visits have proved fruitful.” Thorin held up the key to show to the council. “A key that the girl withheld from evidence.” Thorin continued. 

“A key?” Thráin stood from her place beside her mother. “Was her person not thoroughly searched, upon her capture?” Thráin sounded livid turning to Dwalin. 

“There was the bag that was confiscated, but the girl herself was not searched. We… presumed that everything the girl owned was in the bag.” Dwalin looked abashedly guilty, shooting Thorin an upset glare. Thorin tried to return the look with an apologetic one, realizing this was probably casting blame on Dwalin and her guards. 

“So the girl is guilty then,”  Thrór looked pleased. “She obviously used the key to enter Dís’ room.” 

“That’s what I thought too,” Thorin was glad the conversation had shifted from blaming Dwalin. “But, instead, it proves quite the opposite.”  

“How so?” one of the council members asked. 

“The key doesn’t fit any door in the Royal Wing although it looks as if it does,” Thorin declared. “Prince Frerin and Dwalin were present while I tried every door. It is impossible for her to have entered with this key, which I think gives some truth to the story Miss Baggins is telling us.” 

“Or it’s an elaborate scheme?”  Thrór asked. “A false key decoy?”

“We’ve already searched in Dís’ room for the true key or anything the girl could have used to get in,” Thorin said. “Dwalin can double check her tomorrow for anything else she could have used. But I think she’s telling the truth about being lost and not intending to end up here. Whether she’s from this world or not.” 

“We will visit the prisoner tomorrow morning then. You are dismissed. We will talk more about this later,” Thráin gave a stern look to her daughter. 

“Thank you,” Thorin nodded. She and Dwalin turned and left the council chambers. 

**x**

Thráin entered the parlor of their royal suite, and Thorin sat up from where she’d been reading, trying to distract her mind from the matters at hand. 

“Now, let me see this key,” Thráin sat down on the sofa next to her daughter. Thorin retrieved the key from her pocket and displayed it to her mother. 

“I’ve tried all the doors. Even the door to Dís’ wardrobe,” Thorin explained. “Everything she’s told us seems to be her truth. I do not believe she is fabricating lies.” 

“I would be relieved. In fact, I’m trying very hard to be as relieved as you sound, but there’s still the mystery of how the girl got into your sister’s room.”

“Perhaps it  _ is _ some sort of magic… I don’t know.” Thorin couldn’t find any other explanation. “What are we to do now with the prisoner?” Thorin asked. 

“What do you think we should do?” Thráin asked, allowing her daughter to stretch her ruler instincts. Thorin sighed.

“If she truly is innocent I don’t want to leave her in her cell.” Thorin thought carefully. “Would it be possible, when we go to check her person for anything else tomorrow—if she has nothing else to hide—to bring her out of the dungeons and give her space to recuperate?” Thorin suggested. Thráin gave Thorin a careful look. “We aren’t releasing her to be free here in the castle. I’m merely suggesting she’s moved to a more comfortable room with guards posted outside.” 

“If we’re going to release her from the confines of her cell I want her out of the castle.” Thráin disputed Thorin’s idea. “I do not want someone that we’re still unsure of their motives or how they carried out their actions inside the castle.”

“Mother, my instinct is telling me this girl is not dangerous. Is that not what Grandmother taught us? To listen to instinct?” 

“Yes, but when has Durin instinct ever led us out of trouble?” Thráin commented under her breath. 

“Mother,” Thorin groaned quietly. “Listen, I’ve shown her kindness thus far, and she’s given me this clue. What else can we learn from her if we show a little more kindness and move her out of her cell?” Thorin asked. 

“You are quite adamant about this. Why?”  Thráin asked and Thorin bit her lip and considered her answer carefully. 

“I suppose it’s because she’s close to my age. I feel… pity for her,” Thorin explained remembering Dwalin’s words. “I think about… if I had somehow ended up in whatever world she supposedly came from would you not want me in a more comfortable place than a cell while I tried to figure out where I was?”

“Very well,” Thráin sighed. “I’ll talk to your grandmother tonight. If you feel quite positive she does not pose such a threat I suppose we can move her. She can use one of the bedrooms in the guest wing.” 

“Thank you, Mother,” Thorin couldn’t help but smile in light of her successfully persuading her mother. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was I mentioning a regular update schedule in the last chapter?? Ahah..... I fell out of my writing groove for a while so most projects got put on hold for a bit, but I seem to be back after successfully completing another year of NaNoWriMo! Continue to watch for more updates on this fic and others and thanks for everyone's patience! Find me on tumblr at [hobbitunderthemountain](http://hobbitunderthemountain.tumblr.com/)!

**Author's Note:**

> Some additional information about the castle they visit! I loosely based the location we start at around Schwerin Castle in Germany and some of the mythology around that castle. I've never actually visited the castle, nor Germany (I've only been to London and Paris for like two days and have heard stories from other friends and family who have travelled around Europe) so if I'm ignorant about certain aspects, please excuse me (and feel free to correct me!)


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